System and method for using divided fonts to achieve proportional spacing

ABSTRACT

A method of printing a string of characters includes receiving a sequence of character data codes. Each character data code corresponds to a respective character to be printed in the string of characters. The method also includes transcoding the sequence of character data codes to generate a sequence of glyph codes. Each glyph code corresponds to a respective glyph. Each glyph corresponds to at least part of a respective character. At least some of the glyphs correspond to less than a complete character. The method further includes using the sequence of glyph codes to generate print image data and printing an image on the basis of the print image data.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates generally to printing of character strings, andmay be applied to printing of postage indicia by postage meters.

Conventional postage meters use conventional printing technology such asthermal printing or inkjet printing to print postage indicia onmailpieces or on labels to be applied to mailpieces. Typically, someportions of the indicia are “fixed”—i.e., do not vary from indicium toindicium printed by the same meter, whereas other portions of theindicia are “variable”—i.e., do vary from indicium to indicium printedby the same meter. An example of a variable portion of conventionalpostage indicia is the character string which indicates the amount ofpostage represented by the indicia.

In conventional postage meters, variable character strings are printedusing “fixed spacing”, which is a manner of spacing the character stringsuch that each character occupies exactly the same amount of space alongthe printed line. Fixed spacing was typically produced by conventionaltypewriters, but, in word processing equipment or software, proportionalspacing is often employed, such that the amount of space occupied in theline of print may vary from character to character. For example, inproportional spacing, the letter “w” may occupy more space along theprint line than the letter “i”.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a conventional postage meter font used forprinting with fixed spacing. It will be observed that each character,including the space character (“ ”) and the decimal point, is defined ina respective print cell, and that all of the print cells are the samesize. FIG. 2 is an example of a postage-amount character string printedwith the font shown in FIG. 1. As would be expected from the descriptionof the font shown in FIG. 1, the decimal point and the space charactereach occupy the same amount of space in the character string shown inFIG. 2 as is occupied by each of the other characters.

In the interest of improving the appearance of the postage-amount stringshown in FIG. 2, it may be desirable, or even required by postalauthorities, to decrease the amount of space along the print lineoccupied by the decimal point and the space character, as would be doneif proportional spacing were employed. However, conventional postagemeter printing software cannot be converted to conventional proportionalspacing fonts without significant and expensive software redesign.

SUMMARY

A method of printing a string of characters includes receiving asequence of character data codes. Each character data code correspondsto a respective character to be printed in the string of characters. Themethod also includes transcoding the sequence of character data codes togenerate a sequence of glyph codes. Each glyph code corresponds to arespective glyph. Each glyph corresponds to at least part of arespective character. At least some of the glyphs each correspond toless than a complete character. The method further includes using thesequence of glyph codes to generate print image data, and printing animage on the basis of the print image data.

As used herein and in the appended claims, and in accordance with aconventional meaning of the term, the word “glyph” refers to an imageused in the visual representation of a character or characters. As willbe apparent from the above-described example of a conventional font, theword “character” includes alphanumeric characters as well as thecharacter which represents a space between two characters, and a decimalpoint. The word “character” should also be understood to refer topunctuation and other printing marks, and characters from alphabets andsystems of symbology other than the Roman alphabet.

The transcoding step may include causing, with respect to at least oneof the character data codes, at least two respective glyph codes to beincorporated in the sequence of glyph codes. The transcoding step mayfurther include, for each character data code of a first class ofcharacter data codes, inserting only two glyph codes in the sequence ofglyph codes. In addition, the transcoding step may include, for eachcharacter data code of a second class of character data codes, insertingonly one glyph code in the sequence of glyph codes.

For each character data code of the second class of character datacodes, the inserted one glyph may be identical to the character datacode in question. For each character data code of the first class ofcharacter data codes, the inserted two glyph codes may consist of (a) afirst glyph code that is identical to the character data code inquestion, and (b) a second glyph code that is different from the firstglyph code.

The second glyph code may have two least significant hexadecimal digitsthat are identical to two least significant hexadecimal digits of thefirst glyph code and two most significant hexadecimal digits that aredifferent from two most significant hexadecimal digits of the firstglyph code.

The step of using the sequence of glyph codes to generate print imagedata may include accessing respective glyph bit maps that correspond tothe glyph codes in the sequence of glyph codes. Each glyph may be sizedto fit in a standard print cell, and some of the characters may occupyonly one of the standard print cells, while other characters may occupytwo adjoining ones of the standard print cells. The printed image may bea postage meter and a font used in the printing may be such that none ofthe characters occupies more than two of the standard print cells.

In another aspect, a method of storing and retrieving character imagebit maps includes, for each character of a group of half-sizecharacters, storing a respective complete bit map. For each character ofa group of full-size characters, the method includes storing arespective pair of split bit maps. The method includes printing a one ofthe full-size characters by retrieving a first one of the split bit mapsin response to a first glyph code, and retrieving a second one of thesplit bit maps in response to a second glyph code that is different fromthe first glyph code. The printing step also includes printing the firstand second ones of the split bit maps in a first and a second printcell, respectively. The first and second print cells are adjacent toeach other.

Further in accordance with this aspect, the group of half-sizecharacters includes a space character and a decimal point character. Thegroup of full-size characters may include a plurality of single-digitnumerals, including the conventional ten Arabic single-digit numerals.

In still another aspect, a printing apparatus includes a print head anda control mechanism. The control mechanism is coupled to the print headand is provided to control the print head to selectively print half-sizecharacters and full-size characters. The control mechanism is operativeto cause the print head to print each half-size character in a characterstring in a respective print cell and to print each full-size characterin the character string in a respective pair of adjacent print cells.

All of the print cells may be equal in size to each other. The printhead and the control mechanism may be included in a postage meter. Thecontrol mechanism may include a mechanism for storing a respectivecomplete bit map for each half-size character, and a mechanism forstoring a respective pair of split bit maps for each full-sizecharacter.

In yet another aspect, a printing method includes storing datarepresenting only one glyph with respect to each character of a firstgroup of characters. The only one glyph corresponds to the character inquestion. The printing method also includes storing data representingtwo or more glyphs with respect to each character of a second group ofcharacters. The two or more glyphs correspond to the character inquestion of the second group. The printing method further includesprinting a selected character of the first group by printing the onlyone glyph which corresponds to the selected character of the firstgroup. In addition, the printing method includes printing a selectedcharacter of the second group by printing the two or more glyphs whichcorrespond to the selected character of the second group.

Each of the glyphs may be represented in the stored data by a respectivebit map. Each of the bit maps may be equivalent in size to each other ofthe bit maps.

Therefore, it should now be apparent that the invention substantiallyachieves all the above aspects and advantages. Additional aspects andadvantages of the invention will be set forth in the description thatfollows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may belearned by practice of the invention. Various features and embodimentsare further described in the following figures, description and claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate presently preferred embodiments ofthe invention, and together with the general description given above andthe detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles ofthe invention. As shown throughout the drawings, like reference numeralsdesignate like or corresponding parts.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional postage meter printing font.

FIG. 2 shows an example postage-amount character string printed with thefont of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows an example postage meter printing font provided inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 shows an example postage-amount character string printed with thefont of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows on an enlarged scale two glyph bit maps that make up one ofthe characters of the font of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustration of a postage meter in which thepresent invention may be embodied.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart that illustrates a printing method performed inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart that shows some details of one step of the methodillustrated in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart that illustrates a printing method performed inaccordance with another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention, in its various aspects, allows for printing ofcharacter strings in a manner that simulates proportional spacing withina software framework that calls for fixed-space printing. All printingof characters is performed in fixed-size printing cells, but, in someembodiments, wider characters are divided into two or more glyphs andeach glyph is printed in a respective printing cell. Consequently, widercharacters are printed in two or more printing cells, whereas narrowercharacters are represented by only one glyph and are printed in only oneprinting cell.

FIG. 3 shows an example postage meter printing font provided inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention. It will be noted thatthe font shown in FIG. 3 includes the Arabic single-digit numerals “0”through “9” as well as the letters “E”, “U” and “R”. Each of thesecharacters is divided vertically down the center to produce for eachcharacter two respective glyphs. In each case the two glyphs representthe left and right sides, respectively, of the character and may beprinted side by side in respective print cells to produce the completecharacter. The print cells may each be half the size of the print cellsemployed for the conventional font shown in FIG. 1. Thus each of thealphanumeric characters shown in FIG. 3 may occupy two adjacent printingcells of the reduced (half) size utilized for the font shown in FIG. 3.

The font shown in FIG. 3 also includes characters which represent thedecimal point and a blank space. Each of the latter two characters isrepresented by only a single glyph rather than the two glyphs used foreach of the other characters. (It will be understood that in the case ofthe blank space character, its respective glyph is a “null” glyph.)Accordingly, the decimal point and the blank space may each be printedin only one of the printing cells utilized for the font shown in FIG. 3.

The font shown in FIG. 3 may be suitable for printing the postage-amountcharacter string to be included in a postage meter indicium in a countryin the “euro zone”. That is, the font shown in FIG. 3 may be suitablefor printing a character string that indicates a postage amountdenominated in euros. FIG. 4 shows an example of a postage-amountcharacter string printed with the font shown in FIG. 3. If the characterstring shown in FIG. 4 is compared with the character string shown inFIG. 2, it will be observed that the character string shown in FIG. 4simulates proportional spacing, by using the half-size standard printingcell for the font of FIG. 3, and printing the numerals and letters withtwo such printing cells and the decimal point and blank space with oneprinting cell apiece. The character string shown in FIG. 4 may beconsidered to be more aesthetically pleasing than the character stringshown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 shows on an enlarged scale two glyph bit maps that make up thenumeral “2” from the font of FIG. 3. More specifically, the numeral “2”is represented by a left-side glyph 502, which in turn is composed oftwo sub-glyphs (disconnected glyph-portions) 504 and 506. The numeral“2” is completed by the right-side glyph 508, composed in turn of twosub-glyphs 510 and 512. It will be noted that each of the glyphs 502,508 is sized to fit exactly in the standard half-size print cellutilized for the font shown in FIG. 3. As discussed below, each of theglyphs 502, 508 (and the other glyphs shown in FIG. 3) may be stored asa respective bit map in a font memory. (For purposes of illustration,FIG. 5 includes outlines to define the print cells to which the glyphbit maps are fitted. However, in practice it will be understood thatonly the numeral halves, and not the outlines, are included in theglyphs and their respective bit maps.) Each of the glyph bit maps shownin FIG. 5 may be considered to be a “split bit map” in the sense that itis obtained by splitting a character. From FIG. 3 it will be appreciatedthat each of the other alphanumeric characters in the font is alsorepresented by a respective pair of split bit maps. The half-size printcell used for the font of FIG. 3 may be considered a “standard printcell” in the sense that only one size of print cell is used and everyglyph that makes up the font fits exactly in the half-size print cell.It follows that all of the glyph bit maps are equal in size to eachother.

FIG. 6 is a simplified block diagram illustration of a postage meter 600in which the present invention may be embodied. In its hardware aspects,the postage meter 600 may be substantially or entirely conventional,with one or more aspects of the present invention being implemented withfont data stored, and printing software installed, in accordance withthe invention.

In any case, the postage meter 600 may include a housing (schematicallyindicated at 602). The housing 602 may be of molded plastic or otherconventional construction. The postage meter 600 may also include aconventional microprocessor 604 (or alternatively a microcontroller orthe like) which operates under control of a stored software/firmwareprogram to generally control operation of the postage meter 600.

The postage meter 600 may further include one or more memory devices incommunication with the microprocessor 604. For example, the memorydevices may include a battery-backed memory (e.g. a CMOS memory) 606, aflash memory 608 and a RAM (random access memory) 610. The CMOS memory606, if present, may store information such as a bit map that representsfixed elements of the postage indicia to be printed by the postage meter600. The flash memory 608, if present, may serve as a font memory (i.e.,glyph memory) to store the glyphs which make up, for example, the fontshown in FIG. 3. The flash memory may also, or alternatively, serve asprogram memory to store the software program which controls themicroprocessor 604 and hence controls operation of the postage meter600.

The RAM 610, if present, may serve as working memory. For example, theRAM 610 may from time to time store bit maps which represent specificinstances of the postage indicia to be printed by the postage meter 600.The specific postage indicia bit maps may be assembled by themicroprocessor from component bit map elements retrieved as appropriatefrom the memories 606, 608. In addition or alternatively, the specificpostage indicia bit maps may include one or more elements (e.g., atwo-dimensional barcode) that may be generated by the microprocessor 604in accordance with relevant software instructions.

The postage meter 600 also includes a print head 612. The print head 612is coupled by a signal path 614 to the microprocessor 604 to allow themicroprocessor 604 to control operation of the print head 612. Under thecontrol of the microprocessor 604, the print head 612 is operative toprint postage indicia. The postage indicia may include one or morecharacter strings (e.g., an indication of the postage amount representedby the indicia) using the font shown in FIG. 3, for example.

In accordance with conventional practices, the postage meter 600 furtherincludes a postage security vault 616 which is coupled to themicroprocessor 604 and which provides security for postage funds storedin the postage meter 600.

The postage meter 600 may also include a conventional user interface618, which comprises input/output devices (not separately shown) whichallow a user of the postage meter 600 to interact with the postage metervia the microprocessor 604.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart that illustrates a printing method that may beperformed in the postage meter 600 in accordance with an embodiment ofthe invention.

At 702 in FIG. 7, an input character code string is received. The inputcharacter code string may represent a postage amount or other variableinformation to be included in a postage indicium to be printed by thepostage meter. The input character code string may, for example, bereceived by a print software module from another software module thatoperates within the postage meter. The input character code string mayconsist of a sequence of character codes, where each character code inthe string represents a respective character to be included in thecharacter string to be included in the postage indicium. For example,the character codes in the input character code strings may be ASCIIcodes or may be from another conventional mode for representingcharacter strings.

At 704, the input character code string is transcoded to generate aglyph code string, which may in turn be used to access the glyphs whichmake up the font shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 8 is a flow chart thatillustrates details of step 704.

At 802 in FIG. 8, the next character code in the input character codestring is processed. Then, at decision block 804, it is determinedwhether the next character code represents a full-size character or ahalf-size character. For example, the determination at block 804 may bemade by comparing the character code being processed with a list ofhalf-size character codes. (In the particular example font shown in FIG.3, the only two half-size characters are the decimal point and the blankspace character.) If the character code matches a code on the list, thenit represents a half-size character. Otherwise, it represents afull-size character.

If the next character code represents a half-size character, then thecode itself may be included in the glyph string (step 806) asrepresenting the sole glyph that makes up the corresponding character.I.e., in this example, a half-size character is completely representedby a single glyph, and the glyph code which represents that glyph is thesame as the character code which represents the character.

If the next character code represents a full-size character, then thecode itself may be included in the glyph string (step 808) asrepresenting the first, or left-hand, glyph that corresponds to the lefthalf of the corresponding character. Then, at 810, a second, orright-hand, glyph code is included in the glyph string to represent theglyph which corresponds to the right half of the correspondingcharacter.

To give a concrete example of the transcoding of a character code thatrepresents a full-size character, let it be assumed that the nextcharacter code is 0012 (hex) and represents the numeral “2”. The firstglyph code may be the same (i.e., 0012) and may represent the glyph 502shown in FIG. 5. Moreover, the second glyph code may be FF12 (hex) andmay represent the glyph 508 shown in FIG. 5. Thus 0012 in the inputcharacter string is transcoded into 0012, FF12 in the glyph string.

To generalize, in one embodiment, every character code may be in theform 00xx (hex). If the character code represents a half-size character,then the single glyph that corresponds to the character is representedby the glyph code 00xx. If the character code represents a full-sizecharacter, then the two glyphs that correspond to the character arerepresented by the glyph codes 00xx, FFxx.

Referring again to FIG. 8, after step 810, it is determined at 812 ifthere are any more character codes in the input character code string.If not, the process moves on to the next step (706) in FIG. 7.Otherwise, the process loops back to step 802 in FIG. 8.

With the glyph code scheme described above, transcoding from inputcharacter code string to glyph code string is performed in a very simpleand efficient manner. However, other transcoding methods may be applied.For example, a look-up table may be employed to translate each inputcharacter code into one or more glyph codes.

Referring again to FIG. 7, at step 706 (after transcoding of the inputcharacter code string to the glyph code string), the glyph code stringis used to access, one after the other, the glyph bit maps thatrepresent the glyphs represented by the glyph codes in the glyph codestring. The glyph bit maps are used to generate a string bit map thatrepresents the character string represented by the input character codestring. Then, at 708, the string bit map is printed as part of thepostage indicium. For example, the string bit map generated at 706 mayfirst be incorporated with other bit map elements (e.g., bit maps ofinvariant portions of the postage indicia) to generate a composite bitmap that represents the entire postage indicium. Then the composite bitmap may be used to control the print head 612 (FIG. 6) to print thepostage indicium pixel by pixel in correspondence to the composite bitmap.

In the example described above, glyphs are stored in the form of bitmaps. However, in alternative embodiments, glyphs may be stored in theform of mathematical expressions that represent the curve(s) that makeup the glyphs. FIG. 9 is a flow chart that illustrates a process thatmay be used in place of the process of FIG. 7 in a case where the glyphsare stored as mathematical expressions.

In the process of FIG. 9, the first two steps, 902 and 904, may beperformed in the same manner as the steps 702 and 704 (FIG. 7) asdescribed above. Continuing to refer to FIG. 9, at 906 (aftertranscoding of the input character code string to the glyph string), theglyph codes may be used one after the other to access the mathematicalexpressions that define the corresponding glyphs. The mathematicalexpressions may then be used to generate and print the glyphs insuccessive print cells. In some embodiments, the mathematicalexpressions may be used to generate bit maps to be included in thecomposite bit map as generally described above in connection with step708.

By representing some characters with one glyph, others with two or moreglyphs, and sizing all glyphs to fit the same standard print cell,proportional spacing may be simulated in a software environment that isessentially designed to produce fixed-space printing. In effect, arelatively simple change in font representation and modest softwarerevisions allow for conversion to proportional spacing with improvedappearance of the resulting printing and without expensive andtime-consuming changes in overall printing software design.

In the particular example shown herein, all characters are representedby either one or two glyphs, but other fonts may be provided inaccordance with principles of the present invention such that somecharacters are represented by three or more glyphs.

Again, in the particular example shown herein, the character setrepresented in the font includes only fifteen characters. Nevertheless,fonts which include a larger number of characters and/or symbols may beprovided in other embodiments. For example, a font which includes atleast all ten of the Arabic single-digit numerals and all 26 letters ofthe Roman alphabet (possibly along with other characters such as theblank space character and one or more punctuation marks, and also, insome embodiments, lower case letters as well) may be provided in otherembodiments. Still other embodiments may include one or more charactersfrom alphabets other than the Roman alphabet. It will also be understoodthat some alternative embodiments may employ fonts having fewer thanfifteen characters.

In the particular example shown herein, some characters are dividedvertically to produce the constituent glyphs for the characters. Inother embodiments, at least some characters may also or alternatively bedivided horizontally. By defining at least some characters with glyphsresulting from horizontal splitting of characters, a conversion fromfixed vertical line spacing to variable vertical line spacing may befacilitated.

The particular examples described herein are illustrated in the contextof a postage meter, but the invention may alternatively be applied inother types of printing devices, including printing by printers drivenby personal computers and the like.

The order in which process steps are illustrated and/or described hereinshould not be deemed to prescribe a fixed order of performing the steps.Rather, the process steps may be performed in any order that ispracticable.

The printing process described herein in certain examples calls fortranscoding of an input character string to a glyph string, and thenusing a glyph string to access representations of the constituent glyphsof the desired characters. However, in alternative embodiments,transcoding of the input character code string is not required, andaccess to the glyph representations may be based on reading the inputcharacter code string. For example, a look-up table may be employed todetermine what glyph or glyphs to access for each character code in theinput character code string.

A number of embodiments of the present invention have been described.Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Othervariations relating to implementation of the functions described hereincan also be implemented. Accordingly, other embodiments are within thescope of the following claims.

1. A method of storing and retrieving character image bit maps in a fonthaving alphanumeric characters and punctuation characters, the methodcomprising: for each character of a group of half-size charactersconsisting of the punctuation characters in the font, storing arespective complete bit map; for each character of a group of full-sizecharacters consisting of the alphanumeric characters in the font,storing a respective pair of split bit maps; and printing a one of saidfull-size characters in the font by: retrieving a first one of saidsplit bit maps in response to a first glyph code; retrieving a secondone of said split bit maps in response to a second glyph code that isdifferent from the first glyph code; and printing said first and secondones of said split bit maps in a first and a second print cells,respectively, said first and second print cells being adjacent to eachother.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said group ofhalf-size characters includes a space character and a decimal pointcharacter.
 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said group offull-size characters includes a plurality of single-digit numerals. 4.The method according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of single-digitnumerals includes ten Arabic numerals.
 5. A printing apparatus,comprising: a print head; and control means, coupled to said print head,for controlling said print head to selectively print half-sizecharacters and full-size characters, both in a font having alphanumericcharacters and punctuation characters, wherein the half-size charactersconsist of the punctuation characters and the full-size charactersconsist of the alphanumeric characters; said control means operative tocause the print head to: print each half-size character in the font in acharacter string in a respective print cell; and print each full-sizecharacter in the font in the character string in a respective pair ofadjacent print cells.
 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 5,wherein all of said print cells are equal in size to each other.
 7. Theprinting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the print head and thecontrol means are included in a postage meter.
 8. The printing apparatusaccording to claim 5, wherein the control means includes: means forstoring a respective complete bit map for each half-size character; andmeans for storing a respective pair of split bit maps for each full-sizecharacter.
 9. A printing method, comprising: storing data representingonly one glyph with respect to each character of a first group ofcharacters in a font, said only one glyph corresponding to said eachcharacter; storing data representing two or more glyphs with respect toeach character of a second group of characters in the font, said two ormore glyphs corresponding to said each character of said second group;printing a selected character of said first group by printing the onlyone glyph which corresponds to said selected character of said firstgroup; and printing a selected character of said second group byprinting the two or more glyphs which correspond to the selectedcharacter of said second group, wherein said font comprisingalphanumeric characters and punctuation characters, said first group ofcharacters consists of the punctuation characters and said second groupof characters consists of said alphanumeric characters.
 10. The methodaccording to claim 9, wherein each of said glyphs is represented in thestored data by a respective bit map.
 11. The method according to claim10, wherein each of said bit map is equivalent in size to each other ofsaid bit map.
 12. A method of printing a string of characters, themethod comprising: receiving a sequence of character data codes, eachcharacter data code corresponding to a respective character to beprinted in said string of characters; transcoding said sequence ofcharacter data codes to generate a sequence of glyph codes, each glyphcode corresponding to a respective glyph, each glyph corresponding to atleast part of a respective character, at least some of said glyph eachcorresponding to less than a complete character; using said sequence ofglyph codes to generate print image data; and printing an image on thebasis of the print image data, wherein said transcoding step includes:causing, with respect to at least one of said character data codes, atleast two respective glyph codes to be incorporated in said sequence ofglyph codes, wherein said transcoding step further includes: for eachcharacter data code of a first class of character data codes, insertingonly two glyph codes in the sequence of glyph codes; and for eachcharacter data code of a second class of character data codes, insertingonly one glyph code in the sequence of glyph codes, wherein: for eachcharacter data code of the second class of character data codes, saidinserted one glyph code is identical to said each character code of thesecond class of character data codes; and for each character data codeof the first class of character data codes, said inserted two glyphcodes consist of: (a) a first glyph code that is identical to said eachcharacter data code of the first class of character data codes; and (b)a second glyph code that is different from said first glyph code,wherein the second glyph code has (a) two least significant hexadecimaldigits that are identical to two least significant hexadecimal digits ofthe first glyph code, and (b) two most significant hexadecimal digitsthat are different from two most significant hexadecimal digits of thefirst glyph code.
 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein saidstep of using said sequence of glyph codes to generate print image dataincludes accessing respective glyph bit maps that correspond to theglyph codes in said sequence of glyph codes.
 14. The method according toclaim 13, wherein: each glyph is sized to fit in a standard print cell,and some of said characters occupy only one of said standard print celland others of said characters occupy two adjoining ones of said standardprint cell.
 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the printimage data is a postage meter indicium.
 16. The method according toclaim 14, wherein none of said characters occupies more than two of saidstandard print cell.